Take it in Stages

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Data networks are growing ever more complex, due to pressure from business applications, e-commerce, greater connectivity between the corporate LAN and the Internet, and an increasingly mobile workforce. With 802.11 technology on-board, an organization can enable wireless mobility throughout a campus, or connect LANs together for a fraction of the cost of traditional Wide Area Network (WAN) technologies. Wireless LANs also make it much easier to add or move workstations, and to provide connectivity in areas where it is difficult to lay cable. An additional benefit is that the entire wireless network can be managed from one location, anywhere in the world, and there are enhanced security/access controls available to thwart hackers or intruders.

As discussed in previous chapters, ensuring a robust and stable wireless network requires that a deployment team take the time to study the organization's networking environment and its users' requirements. This includes determining the organization's overall business strategy, preparing a needs analysis, and assessing the current network infrastructure to determine whether a Wi-Fi network is feasible.

Note 

This chapter is written with the understanding that the reader will read this chapter in conjunction with the other chapters not only in this Section V: Wi-Fi for the Enterprise, but also Section III: Practical Deployments.

Next is intensive preparation. This is the stage where comprehensive site surveys are performed to ensure there is acceptable data throughput available for the type of usage and network coverage area; the WLAN gear options are studied; pilot projects are implemented and the results studied to determine if the project's WLAN technology matches the organization's business and security goals; and the WLAN business case, with projected return on investment (ROI) and total cost of ownership (TCO), is presented to the stakeholders.

Once a WLAN project is approved, a sound deployment plan and an impeccable security strategy based upon all of the previous work must be put in place. This is the stage where the deployment team configures, installs, and tests all of the WLAN's components for data integrity, signal strength, and coverage. It also ensures that appropriate security measures are taken and security policies are implemented; the proper network management and maintenance systems are fully operational; and the end-users are properly trained.

But deploying a WLAN to provide connectivity for a corporate headquarters involve different requirements than those needed for a WLAN that serves a vertical inudstry. Let's visit some of the areas that might cause special concern.



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Going Wi-Fi. A Practical Guide to Planning and Building an 802.11 Network
Going Wi-Fi: A Practical Guide to Planning and Building an 802.11 Network
ISBN: 1578203015
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 273

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